Category Archives: Reviews

Review ~ mobile phone sports arm band from the Caro_e_ range

I’ve recently started the Couch to 5k running app again. I say ‘again’ because I completed it before, several years ago, and successfully ran the Race for Life off the back of it. (for non-UK readers, Race for Life is an event where you can walk, run or even dance to raise money for research into beating cancer.) So there I was, in a position to complete 5k in 45 minutes and then the school holidays came along and then I got bronchitis which stopped any running in its tracks… appropriate use of words there!

Review ~ ‘Feel Stress Free’ app from Thrive

What do you think of when you come across the words ‘stress-free’ and ‘thrive’?

For me, it’s being relaxed yet energetic, being given the space to grow and reach my potential.

When I was given the opportunity to review the Thrive Feel Stress Free app, I thought it was a great name and a great concept, partly because it focuses on mindfulness and CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). The experts at Thrive claim to be able to manage your mental health and relax you in just 5 minutes. An impressive claim!

Review ~ hand made furnishings to make you feel good from Bespoke Binny

The Bespoke Binny brand promises to “brighten up your home” with their colourful feel-good furnishings and it’s a British based business too.

The creator, Natalie Manima firmly believes that your home should show who you are and therefore be ‘bespoke’. Because bespoke means something is tailored to you, something you’ve made your own, something made for you, to make you feel good.

Review ~ Prestige Flowers

Who doesn’t love to receive flowers? I know that I do! They lift my mood, make me smile and brighten my home. I also like to give them occasionally to say thank you, thinking of you or happy birthday. Flowers just speak volumes don’t they?

When I arrived home one day, I had a ‘sorry we missed you card’ posted through the letterbox. And my shoulders dropped a little because I had been expecting a bouquet of fresh flowers to be delivered from Prestige Flowers, and I hadn’t been able to stay in to take collection of them.

As I read the card, expecting to see that the courier would try again or maybe even to collect them from the local post office the next working day, I gave a little ‘whoop’. They had been left by our back door. Sure enough, an exciting looking box was sitting there patiently by my back door… and a bemused cat (our cat I might add!)

Book review ~ ‘Outdoor Things To Do’ book

But what if you haven’t got a particularly big or ‘gardeny’ garden? You know, the ‘backyard’ type garden that is concrete and doesn’t lend itself to much adventure? The garden without any grass. Well, there’s always the local park. Sometimes though, it’s nice to just hang out at home and potter around isn’t it?

Book review ~ ‘Clever Tykes’

Clever Tykes storybooks aim to inspire positivity, resourcefulness and enterprising behaviour in their target market of 6-10 year olds. And let’s cut to the chase because in my opinion, they all do just that. Back in January 2017 every primary school in the UK was gifted a set of these books which is fantastic and means that Clever Tykes books have the potential to empower a lot of our children… the future generations in fact. No mean feat but utterly possible with this little collection!

Art Book Review ~ ‘The Impressionists’

Boolino got in touch to ask if I’d like to review a book about the group of artists known collectively as the Impressionists. And I thought it would be fun to read an arty book because our daughter had been learning about Van Gogh. (Though I didn’t realise he was an Impressionist until we read the book!)

So, quite apart from being artists, what or who were the Impressionists?

Review ~ Yoga Music CD from Group Fitness Music

I was recently sent a yoga CD from Group Fitness Music which was produced with teachers in mind, as well as individual users. The music is fully licensed so you can use it anywhere and although I received a CD, it’s available for download on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon.co.uk and Spotify.

Review ~ Reed Diffuser by Pairfum London

I’d seen reed diffusers dotted around the shops, online and even at people’s houses but never really knew what they did. They look sufficiently contemporary, almost ornamental but I wondered just what they did other than look good. Pairfum London kindly sent me a large bell diffuser with reeds and ‘Innocent Vanilla’ scent.

Vanilla rocks! It’s my favourite scent. I love the sweet smell and the neutral colour that it’s associated with, which just looks clean. On opening the bell dome, a gorgeous rush of vanilla scent greeted my nostrils. And on reading the instructions (who knew diffusers come with instructions?), it says to put more reeds in to increase the intensity of the scent.

Well it’s a good job I did read them, because our cosy little home would probably have been over-powered with more than the 2 that we used. It was just the right amount for our home because you get a gentle waft when you walk past, you get a lovely scent that’s not overwhelming when you come in from outside and more importantly, it doesn’t smell ‘chemically’ or synthetic. It just smells ‘pure’.

All natural HAPS Superfruit and boosters

This is not just a healthy drink, there is a real science behind it.

And it’s all natural because it contains whole fruit powders and boosters which increase serotonin production naturally, rehydrate, revitalise and improve mental wellbeing. Anything that boosts your mood naturally has got to be a good thing. And while we’re talking about serotonin… it’s really worth taking a few minutes to watch this little video which explains all about how serotonin works, alongside vitamins and minerals.

A bit of the story behind We are HAPS

Rik is the founder of We are HAPS and has experienced depression and anxiety first-hand. Frustrated at taking supplements, he’s gone all out to help others and has produced HAPS. In his own words, “although I’m much better now, I need to help others.”

And that’s exactly what he’s aiming to do.

The packaging’s bright

My little parcel popped through my letterbox in a simple cardboard box (no ‘sorry we missed you cards’ = win!). Nothing over the top, just plain simple. The box was easy to open and inside were 3 sachets in a lovely sunshine colour, along with a nice bright HAPS card just to brighten my day a little more.

So is the drink any good?

Well first you have to make it up by adding a sachet of the powder to 250ml of water. After a thorough mix to avoid lumps and bumps, you’re good to go. Yes, that’s it – nice and simple. The drink’s gentle yet nice and zingy on your tastebuds. The citrus isn’t too overpowering and if you mix it right, the texture isn’t too powdery on your tongue. I found it very pleasant, though I don’t think I’d drink it everyday. Incidentally, it’s definitely worth reading the FAQs on the website about the frequency and when to drink and not to drink HAPS.

With an RRP of £16 for 7 sachets to £38 for 21 sachets and a pouch for £49, it’s pretty good value, given that you’re not advised to drink it every day (again, see those FAQs people).

To recap with the main benefits

Help regulate mood, appetite and sleep by naturally boosting serotonin

Hello there and thanks for visiting. I'm Carol a blogger, writer, wife and mum. Here you will find all sorts of everyday thoughts from my daily life including reading, writing and wellbeing. It’s my passion to spread the word on the importance of wellbeing and self-care. My self-care starts with switching off and escaping into a book. But relaxation for me isn't just about reading and looks different to everyone and that’s why I cover creative writing, yoga and meditation too. So let's open up a whole world of imagination…Where will your click take you today?
Please contact me for any PR requests and brand collaborations on virtuallyallsortsofeverything@gmail.com

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